Gilbeet bradford



GILBERT BRADFORD.

Improvement in S'teamingines.

I Patented June 13, F873.

.flmd A4, I I 4 WITNESSES.

GILBERT BRADFORD, OF W'ATERTOYVN, NEW YORK, ASSIGXOR TO THE PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT lN STE-AM-ENGiNES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 115,928, dated June 13, 1871.

To whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Grnnnnr Bnr oronn, of Watertown, in the county of Jefferson and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification:

My invention consists, first, in the arrangement of the steam-cylinder within the steamdome of the boiler, substantially as hereinafter shown and set forth. Second, in the construction of the steam-dome of the boiler in two parts or sections, theupper section containingand being united with the steam cylinder. Third, in the combination of the steam-cylinder with the base of the steam-dome and the boiler under the arrangement, substantially as hereinafter shown and set forth, whereby the base of the dome forms at once a part of the man-hole of the boiler and a foundation for one end of the engine, and can be uncovered to open the man-hole into the boiler by removing the cylinder. Fourth, in the arrangement of the steam-dome of the feed-water heater,

substantially in the manner hereinafter described. Fifth, in the combination of the steam-cylinder and the pillow-blocks of the crank-shaft with a con nectiug-frame cxtendin g directly between the pillow-blocks and cylinder-head, so that it will receive the strain in a direct line, and will not be deflected by the action of the engine.

To enable those skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the steamdome, cylinder, pillow-blocks, and connectingframe, together with, a part of the horizontal boiler upon which said parts rest. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the steam-dome and cylinder through the central or exhaustport of the cylinder.

My invention has special reference to portable steam-engines and other engines in which the parts are required to be arranged as compactly as possible, and I prefer that arrangement of the engine by which it is placed upon the top of a horizontal boiler, as indicated in the drawing.

A suitable opening, a, is formed in the top 4 of the boiler over the firebox, and over this opening is placed the baseb of the steam dome, through which free access can be had tothc water-surface of the crown-sheet, tubes, and

fire-box of the boiler. Over the base I) is placed the steamcylinder c of the engine, which may be provided with'tlanges or other suitable appliances to fit the flange on the top of the base I), the contiguous faces being ground in order to make a tight joint when bolted together. The steam-cylinder can thus be made to close the dome, while the latter not only serves as part of the man-hole of the boiler, but also as a foundation to support one end of the engine. The manhole is readily opened by separating the ground-joint above referred to and removing the cylinder. I prefer, however, to arrange the steam-cylinder within the dome, or to incase it in a jacket or covering which forms the upper part of the dome, the cylinder being .thus surrounded by steam. I am in this way enabled to avoid condensation in the cylinder and steam-pipes, preventing in great measure the pounding, strain, and breakage occasioned by water in the cylinder, which is so injurious to the engine and does so much toward destroying it. The cylinder-case, which may be termed the upper part of the dome, is repre sented at d united with the lower section or base 11 by a ground-joint, and allowing steam to circulate around the cylinder. On one side of the upper section is the valve-chest f, provided with the usual cylinder and exhaustports 2' '6 and 0. Within the space inclosed by the base of the dome I place the feed-water heater h, which is arranged in a chamber, 9, shut off from the steam-space of the dome,but communicating with the exhaust-port e, as indicated clearly in Fig. 2, so that the exhaust steam shall be brought in contact with and impart heat to the coil or other suitable heating apparatus h before passing out through the exhaust-pipe it. Thus the heater-pipes, incased within the dome, are entirely secure from frost, while they are still acted on as hitherto by the exhaust steam. The pillowblocks p of the crank-shaft s are connected with the cylinder by a metallic frame, at, which is connected centrally with said cylinder and blocks-that is to say, extends directly between the pillow-blocks and cylinder head,

which it connects, as shown in Fig. l, the frame at one end being bolted to the cylinder-head and at the other end secured to the pillowblocks. The frame, which may be called a skeleton frame, consists of the side pieces on, which connect at one end with the pillowblocks, and at the other end are cast in one piece, or otherwise united with a ring or annular frame-piece, m, which has the same diameter or nearly the same as the cylinderhead, and is bolted thereto. The side pieces are diametrically opposite each other, and the whole frame thus constructed combines lightness with solidity, besides possessing the advantage of receiving in a direct line the strain from the working of the piston and crank, so that it will not be liable to deflection from the action of the engine.

I have described only so much of the engine and boiler as needed in order to fully explain my invention, and it will be understood that the other parts of the engine or boiler may be constructed in any ordinary or suitable manner.

Having now described my invention and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into efiect, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The arrangement of the engine-cylinder within a sectional steam-dome forming part of the man-hole of the boiler, substantially as shown and set forth. V

2. The steam-dome, constructed in two sections, the upper of which contains the steam or engine cylinder, substantially as herein shown and set forth.

3. The combination of the steam-cylinder with the base of the steam-dome and the boiler, substantially in the manner herein shown and described, whereby the base of the dome forms at once a part of the man-hole and a foundation for one end of the engine, and can be uncovered to open the manhole into the boiler by removing the cylinder or the dome portion inclosingit.

4. The feed-water heater, arranged within a chamber in the steam-dome, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination of the heater with an inclosing-chamber formed in the base of the dome,'and communicating with the steam-cylinder exhaust under the arrangement shown and described.

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name to this specification before two subscribing witnesses.

' GILBERT BRADFORD.

Witnesses:

EDM. F. BROWN, WM. H. MOOABE. 

